Rise with the Wind
by Blaze Line
Summary: Got this idea from the kink meme. A routine dinner between the legal pair goes awry in more ways than one, resulting in Phoenix learning one of Maya's very personal secrets. With knowledge he had no intention of learning, his body will lead him to the girl of his dreams, somewhere his mind had been wanting for a while. But could the same apply to Maya? Rated M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

You ever get an idea in your head that keeps pestering you until you do something about it? Yeah, that's what this story is. I've never written a fanfiction before in my life, but once I saw this idea on the PW: Kink meme, I had to do something about it. If I still have the desire to write and/or interest in the fic is evident, this story will be multi-chaptered. For being my first fanfic, any criticism will be greatly appreciated.

Also as a note for the story, I was debating on the rating for it being between a T or an M. I know for a fact that earlier chapters will be calm, but later ones will be debatable. For now I'm going to play it safe and mark it M.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and all related characters belong to Capcom and all related parties. I claim no ownership of the characters.

* * *

A small wind breeze slips by a couple as they make their way down the city streets. The weather in L.A. was surprisingly cool considering the season, though it was no wonder why. For the past several days, L.A. was plagued with windstorms of varying degrees which, along with causing an unusual amount of severed branches and leaves littering the roads and yards of residents, made the temperature around feel chill; a total contradiction to the blue skies and sun above that brightened the path of the couple below.

_I really hate this type of cold_, thought the first of the pair, a small girl dressed in acolyte robes. It wasn't that she hated the cold in general; she was actually quite accustomed to frigid climates. Indeed, for the next Master of Kurain Village, the artic climates of the mountains, the raging falls that could numb most people out of their wits were all a standard part of her basic training that she had endured for years. What made this cold so unbearable was the fact that it seemed so out-of-place. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and yet she had the desire to wear a jacket. Combined with the constant fluttering of her hair and robes that the breeze caused, the cold was irritating, to say the least.

She looked next to her partner, a tall man with a sharp blue suit which was only rivaled by the sharpness of the spikes on his head. _I wonder if the cold is bothering Nick as much as it's bothering me_, she pondered. The jacket with the suit did look rather warm, so she was sure it provided some protection from the elements. If it were any other day, she probably would have begged him a while back to lend her the jacket for their stroll. However, she decided against it today, for Nick had just gotten over a nasty cold which had bed-ridden him for a good part of the week. She was happy to see him out of his room, outside with the rest of the world, and she wasn't going to jeopardize the speed of his recovery with a childish plea.

_He did look rather cute in his bed, however._

Where did that thought come from? While the idea was random, the girl didn't dismiss it. As much as she disliked seeing Nick ill, she did enjoy playing nurse for him, seeing him so snug in his bed, so… vulnerable. Yeah, that was what she found charming. He always tried to build up an image of confidence around others, probably because of his career as an attorney. However, around her, all barriers were down and his true colors shined when they collided with her bubbly personality. She loved him for that open confidence he placed in her, and if that confidence was ever present in their relationship, it had been during the past week. Yes, vulnerable Nick was charming in her eyes.

The wind was starting to pick up in speed, and a breeze flew by her. Growing more irritated by the breeze, she let out a small sigh of frustration and puffed out her cheeks. This small action didn't go unnoticed, as Nick extended his arm out to her, a face of concern growing on him.

"Everything all right, Maya?"

"Yeah, it's nothing. I just can't wait to get back to the office so we can finally eat!"

Nick let out a chuckle. "I swear, that's all that's ever on your mind. Well, that and The Steel Samurai."

She had to smile at that. "You know it, and don't you dare forget it, Nick!"

Uplifted by the banter, she grabbed upon the extended arm with both hands and pushed herself up next to him, positioning the arm until it wrapped around her shoulders into a makeshift hug. The cold was pestering, but with Nick next to her radiating warmth, she was perfectly content with the breeze around.

* * *

The tie around his neck was loose, almost undone by the efforts of the wind around him. He had the small desire to straighten it out, but he had no free hands to his person. His dominate hand was busy carrying two doggy bags filled with tonight's dinner for Maya and him, while the other hand was now being occupied by the Maya herself, snuggled up in a makeshift hug. He loved the intimacy she was showing to him and not wanting to jeopardize the moment, decided that the tie was perfect the way it was.

At least something was perfect. The evening so far was the farthest thing away from perfection. After being cooped up in bed for so long, Phoenix had wanted to take Maya out to show his appreciation for everything she had done for him. What he had planned was a special night out at a nice restaurant (well, nicer than he usually got. His salary didn't allow him to venture out of his comfort zone too much) and a movie afterwards. However, in a moment of lapsed judgment, he failed to take into account the restaurant's hours of operation and upon arrival of the building, the couple had noticed the staff of the establishment cleaning up, preparing for closing. They could have turned around and went to their usual burger joint. He was positive Maya would have loved the meal just the same. But he had promised her a treat of a meal and dammit, if Phoenix Wright was anything, he was a man of his word! It took a lot. A lot of persuasion, a lot of compliments, **a lot** of begging, and almost a wallet full of cash, but he eventually convinced the staff to whip up a take home meal for the couple. A victory, but a defeat as well, for now he had only 3 dollars on him, which would hardly pay for a movie for two. Their night was shot. At least they could take the food back to the office and possibly catch a movie on cable. They could still salvage a fun time of sorts from this wreck of a night.

Tired of thinking of the past hour, he looked down at the girl on his arm. She seemed so innocent, so happy, so perfect as she smiled while she walked with him. The curve of a genuine Maya Fey smile always pushed away any negative feelings he harbored, and for that he was thankful.

_Not to mention she's developing curves elsewhere._

He quickly turned his head away from her as he thought that, cheeks gaining a slight red color. Yes, lately he'd notice she was developing into a nice grown woman, which wasn't terrible. No, not at all. If anything, it was a pleasure to watch her grow. However, with the pleasure of watching came along thoughts, thoughts of what that body could be capable of. It was those thoughts that made him blush. Sure, Maya and he had known each other for years, and lately he had started to see her as more than a friend, someone he could call his own. He concluded that decision a couple of months ago and after that, anything they did together help made those months seem magical in his eyes. But he wasn't sure if she would accept his proposal. They went out regularly, sometimes even more than other dating couples he knew, they enjoyed sharing physical contact such as what they were doing walking down the windy road, and they had even achieved a point in their relationship where even being in each other's silent presence could seem like pure bliss to him. But what if that was all it was destined to be? Part of him was pleased with everything that came along with what their friendship was, but deep down, he wanted to take things farther. Positive he wanted to, even. Alas, fear and nerves within were winning this battle, and he made himself content with staring on ahead.

They had taken a few more steps along the path when he heard Maya shriek with excitement, "Nick, look ahead!"

"What, what is it?" He was already looking straight but he failed to see what was making her so ecstatic. Suddenly, she released her grasp and jumped away from him, shooting straight ahead to her locked on target.

"We're rich, Nick! Rich, I tell you!"

Finally he saw what had excited her. In front of them was a fallen $20 bill, a little crumpled and speckled with dirt, but that hardly took away from its value.

_Where was that when we needed to pay for the meal_? Phoenix couldn't help but think irritably. But despite how disgruntled he felt, he was just as pleased that Maya had found the bill, for her outburst was amusing to watch. He continued to watch her gleeful dance as she bent down to pick up the bill and within that moment, a strong breeze flew past him and made its way towards Maya. The breeze gave Phoenix a slight chill, but what it did for Maya wouldn't even compare. As if it possessed the hands to pick it up, the wind lifted up Maya's skirt effortlessly, giving Phoenix a front row view to what was under it. And what he saw caused him to drop their meal, turning his face from a slight pink to a bright crimson red.

_She's not wearing any panties._

Maya Fey was going full on commando. The scene lasted for no more than a few seconds, but the image would last in his brain for oh so much longer. He was shocked. He was embarrassed. He was pleased. Wait, pleased? Arrgh! He couldn't comprehend what his emotions were telling him, and he wasn't going to get the time to understand them. Maya was starting to approach him again with her new find and not wanting her to see how red and flustered he was, he quickly spiraled around, attempting to stiffen up his tie to keep himself occupied.

* * *

The thrill of finding the spare bill on the ground made Maya indifferent to the breeze's chill and completely ignorant to the breeze's uplifting effect. She never was this lucky when it came to money, so she was reveling in every second of her discovery, a million ways to spend the money flashing through her mind. _Steel Samurai trading cards? A Pink Princess action figure? Burgers? A trading card of the Pink Princess eating a burger?_ The possibilities were endless! Maybe Nick could help her make her decision on how to spend it. Yeah, that was a good idea. She sprang up from the ground and quickly made her way to Nick, only noticing that his back was to her when she was mere inches away.

"Hey Nick, what exactly are you doing so secretively?" She asked jokingly.

"I, um, tie… fixing." Not only did he sound completely flustered, but he didn't even turn around to respond. Suspicious.

"Uh, are you ok?"

"Better. Tie better. Couldn't be better," was what Maya was able to comprehend from his mumbling. If he turned around, maybe she could make more sense of him. She was getting annoyed.

"Nick, I can't make out a word you're saying. If you're going to talk, turn around and spea-"

Her speech was interrupted by a flash of blue forcefully pushed in front of her. It took her a minute to comprehend what was going on, but she soon realized that in front of her was a blue jacket. Nick's jacket.

"Here. You take it." His body was now facing hers, yet he still avoided eye contact and he sounded as flustered as ever.

"Nick…" she was shocked by the sudden act. It was only moments before that she was thinking of asking for the jacket, and here he was now handing it to her, as if he could read her mind. "But you're cold…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm better. Honest," his response was immediate, as if he anticipated what she would say.

"… thanks." She took the jacket and proceeded to put it on. It was oversized on her, as to be expected, but her inklings about it being warm weren't wrong. It sure was cozy! It even had the added benefit of having Nick's body heat lingering on it as well, which just added to the sensation. _How did I ever get so lucky as to find someone as awesome as you, Nick?_

* * *

A sense of relief flooded over him as she put the jacket on, though it didn't completely hide the other emotions he was feeling. _Why the hell was she going commando? _Especially on a day like today and for what her outfit usually consisted of, it seemed like a poor decision and he couldn't make heads or tails of it. _Did she have a rash? Was she experimenting? Did she ignore wearing a bra-what? UGH_! The more he tried to think logically of possibilities, the more he kept thinking of her display, which just made him even more flustered. But he couldn't let Maya know she flashed him; she would never live down the embarrassment. For now, he would have to attempt a cool temper so she wouldn't suspect anything out of the ordinary. While he wished Maya would wrap the coat around her hips for the most protection, he couldn't possibly ask her to do such a thing without seeming too blunt or awkward, possibly giving him away. However, the jacket was doing a decent enough job of covering her as it was, and thus he felt well enough to continue on.

"Don't mention it. You were looking cold, so I thought you may want it." He wasn't known as a bluffing master for nothing.

"Hey, what do you think I should spend my $20 on, Nick? I was thinking Steel Samurai stuff or burgers," stated Maya enthusiastically, quickly changing the subject on hand.

_"_More burgers? Didn't I just buy you a high class burger for tonight a little bit ago? Shouldn't you save it for a rainy day, or invest it or something?"

"I should have known your ideas would be boring, Nick. You have to learn how to have fun!" she started poking at his chest to emphasize her point. "Besides, once that burger is devoured by yours truly, I'll need to buy more to fend off impending hunger. It's a never ending battle against hunger, but it's a burden I'm willing to stand."

_Oh Maya_. She may act childish, but he was so accustomed to it that he now found it doting.

"Hey, the movie!" Maya shouted. "With the twenty, we could have enough money to go see a show now!"

She was right; they could afford to go see a movie now as long as Maya went easy on the snacks. However, Phoenix didn't want that. He had wanted to treat Maya on his own for this night and even though the money could have easily been spotted and retrieved by him, it belonged to Maya now. He wanted her to enjoy it on something she wanted. He had to think of a way to convince her against the movie.

"You're right, we could go now. But it wouldn't be practical."

"Huh?" Maya was obviously shocked at his comment.

"Let's consider some things. First off, we have a take out meal in our possession that is losing warmth with every passing second. If we went to a movie, we would have to eat the meal outside of the theater in a hurry, something you're quite capable of, but not exactly my cup of tea. We could try to sneak in the bags to the theater, but considering our wardrobes, two giant bags would stick out like sore thumbs. Now we also have the option of going home and eating the meal, followed by a movie, but the distance away from the office to the cinema is lengthy, far lengthier than if we were eating our meal at the restaurant."

"You do bring up some good points, Nick," an obvious look of ponder was plastered on her face, "though I wouldn't expect any less from you at this point."

"Also, with the price of tickets, we wouldn't have enough money for snacks."

"Well, there goes that plan. But let's try to hurry to the office, I'm starving."

"Agreed." _Should have gone with the snacks from the beginning_.

Continuing with their stroll, the wind began to pick up in speed, causing greater discomfort for both Phoenix and Maya as their hair and clothes started to get disordered. Phoenix hoped, for more reasons than one, that the wind would die down for they still had a ways to go before they would be back at the office, but no signs of ceasing were evident.

"Hey, how about we take a cab?" Maya suggested. "I have enough money to get a quick ride back and still have change to spare."

"You sure you're ok with that?" He wanted to argue against her spending her money on a cab as well, but secretly, he wanted to get out of the wind pronto.

"Heck yeah I'm sure, this wind is crazy. I'll go call a cab."

A cab ride to get out of the elements right before a nice meal and a cable tv movie, all while in the company of the girl of his dreams. He couldn't see how that could possibly go wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is up. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should continue on with the fic. I wasn't sure people were going to enjoy the story and I debated with myself for a while, but the reviews I've received have sparked desire to continue on with it, for which I say, Thank you :). Chapter 2 is a little shorter than chapter 1, and it may seem a bit awkward at parts, but I hope everyone enjoys it anyways.

* * *

Blowing into her hands as hard as she could, she tried to call for a cab with a whistle, but the effort was turning up fruitless for several reasons. Not only could a cab driver not hear a whistle from outside of the cab while moving, but Maya didn't know how to whistle. At best, she made a sound that sounded like infant raspberries. After a few minutes, along with Nick's sudden outburst of laughter and chuckling discouraging her, she decided to stick with waving her hands until a cab caught noticed. In a matter of moments, a cab pulled up next to them.

"Finally! Come on Nick, let's get in."

She proceeded to forcefully open the door so she could climb in as soon as possible, but one look inside the cab stopped her in her tracks.

Nick's voice from behind surprised her, yet his thought was the same as hers. "It's full of boxes."

"Yeah, my apologies bout that," the cab driver, an old lady spoke. "I was actually off duty so I could drop off these here boxes, but I have plans tonight, plans that require cash. I figured I could make a few extra bucks if I took an extra customer or two, as long as you two lovelies aren't headin to Albuquerque."

"But how are we going to fit in here?"

"Just go ahead and move them boxes around a bit. I don't have room up front here, but I'm sure with a bit of rearranging you can manage two seats in the back."

Despite the combined brainpower of Nick and Maya rearranging the boxes in a machine-like fashion, it was impossible for the two to open up two spaces in the back. Their most fruitful attempt barely gave them a full free seat. Maya was peeved. Not only did they waste valuable time playing tetris with boxes, but she really wasn't looking forward to having to call another cab. But maybe there was one other option…

"Hey cab lady," Maya called to the front at the lady who was playing with her bracelet, "would I be allowed to sit in Nick's lap? We've tried moving those boxes every which way."

"Sure, why not? As long as I get my fare," she answered indifferently, not even looking up to Maya.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" interrupted Nick," Isn't that illegal? Doesn't that violate safety laws?"

"Not sure, to be honest. But I won't tell if you won't." The driver must have found this funny cause she let out a hardy laugh, which only caused Nick to sigh. But Maya was actually happy the lady agreed to the proposal. She never turned down any opportunity that meant she could cuddle up with Nick, and secretly, she knew Nick loved the physical contact just as much, even if it was in such a tight space.

"Well let's get going! Come on Nick, climb in!"

She wasn't expecting Nick to rush in the van, but she at least expected him to move. For some reason, he was standing right in place with no intentions of budging, looking straight ahead of Maya. She wasn't sure if the sun was playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn he looked a bit flushed.

"Uh, Nick, you alright? Come on and climb in already."

"Um, yeah, ok." He mumbled his response and started to move on in at snail-like speed. What was his problem? Did he really not want to sit with her? No, that couldn't be it. But what if it was? Maya began to feel down with that thought, but soon recovered when she came up with another idea. A moment ago, Nick showed concern for the safety of sitting in such a position. Maybe he was scared of riding in the cab in that state. Yeah, that had to be it. Nick was weird when it came to issues like that, but she didn't mind. It made him look adorable.

After Nick positioned himself, Maya followed suit and climbed on top of him, shifting as much as she could until they both were somewhat comfortable. With that, Maya gave the cab driver a nod to signal their status, and with that they were off.

The ride was going smoothly. The scenery outside improved visually tenfold without the wind to interfere, and though no one was talking, the silence was bliss being so close to Nick. She had known him for years, years that despite dishing out some of the most traumatic experiences a person could ever imagine going through, also gave her the best friend that anyone could ever hope to have. Everything about him, even his flaws, was ideal to her. Nick showered her with the emotional love and the mental confidence to be the perky person she was, and due to this, she had fallen in love with him. However, she still hasn't told him. Being a person of so few friends, the friendship that they had was something she wasn't so willing to jeopardize with a feeling, in case the feeling wasn't mutual. She was an impulsive person, but hardly stupid. However, the moments of intimacy that they shared from time to time never left her feeling like she had enough. She wasn't sure what she wanted, but she wanted more of something.

Suddenly, her rear area started to feel uncomfortable. What a mostly comfortable lap was a few minutes before was now a bumpy seat that irritated her. But what could have changed that? Did Nick move his hands to his lap? She moved her eyes down to her sides to see if that was the case, but that theory was unlikely as she managed to see one of the hands on one side, and though the other hand was out of her sight, the position of the other arm made the placement of its hand in his lap unlikely.

So if it wasn't his hands, then what could be in Nick's lap that was causing a bump? It didn't take her but two seconds to come up with another answer to that conundrum, but this next answer was much more shocking, enough to make her break out into a blush. Was Nick… excited? Maya really hoped Nick couldn't see any reflections in his position so he couldn't see how red she was becoming. No, that couldn't be. What could possibly have erected him in this cab? Could it have been… me? If her face wasn't red before, it sure was now. This was an extremely awkward situation to be in. And yet, it was, dare she say, flattering? Despite the embarrassment she was feeling, she was elated that Nick possibly found her attractive enough to stir up such a reaction. Did he think she was sexy? She couldn't help but wonder with gleeful curiosity about that possibility. However, as much as she was reveling in these possibilities, she was uncomfortable and she wanted to make Nick aware of her discomfort. But how could she tell him? She certainly couldn't blurt out, "Hey Nick, can you move a bit? You're boner's hurting my butt." He'd probably die of embarrassment, literally. And what if it turned out he wasn't excited at all and it was his hand? Then she would be the one dying. No, there had to be a better way to alert him of her discomfort. After a quick thought, she finally thought of a phrase that could be innocent but effective.

"Hey Nick, can you move your hand? You're making my sitting arrangement uncomfortable."

* * *

Dammit! Shit! Dammit! Phoenix's was busy cursing at himself internally. Why, of all moments, did I have to be aroused now?! Despite his questioning, he had a hunch for the occurrence. Miss free-spirit-when-it-came-to-underwear was sitting right on top of him. This was the main reason he was hesitant to share a seat with Maya in the cab (though the safety issue did plague his mind, although only for a few seconds). It wasn't like this was the first time Maya sat on top of him, far from it actually. It was, however, the first time that she sat on him bare bottomed. Or at least the first time he was aware she sat on him bare bottomed. Her soft, delicate skin, her tender rear was getting quite intimate with his lap, which only had a thin layer of boxers and pants preventing it from contacting that flesh. That wondrous, raw flesh…

Dammit! Get a hold of yourself, Phoenix! You're already in an awkward position; you don't want to make things worse! But that flesh… Argh! It's a good thing Maya can't read minds, or else I'd be totally screwed. Wait, can spirit mediums read minds? Is that part of their training? Maybe she's hearing my thoughts as I think them. And what if it's not just now, but she's been reading my mind for much longer than this car ride? Possibly ever since we became partners in law. Oh boy, the things I've thought and the things she's heard, it's a wonder she's still her! I wonder why she would stay with me. She could have a field day with my thoughts! Wait, maybe she is planning on using my thoughts for her gain? Blackmail? Torture? Profit? She is from Kurain and they are known for their money making techniques. Maybe she plans to publish a book, heck, a visual novel even, where my thoughts are as free to the public as they are to her. I'll be humiliated, I'll have to give up my practice here, become a hobo, go under a new name! Naruhoudo has a nice ring to it…

Wait a minute, what am I rambling about? There's no way she can read minds. Knowing Maya, she would have used that to her full advantage a loooong time ago if she could. I'm just over thinking the situation is all. Besides, I got the luckiest break and surefire evidence that Maya can't read minds; she thought my arousal was one of my hands. If she could read minds, she would have no reason to suspect my hand under her. If I play this right, I can avoid having this situation making me look like a lovesick pervert yet!

"My, uh, sure Maya."

He moved his hands to the best of his ability to make them appear on his lap and he positioned his lap to ensure he wasn't protruding her as much as he could prevent.

Hopefully I'll calm down in a bit. I'll calm down, we'll pull up to the office soon, and together we'll have a fun night of food and cable movies. This whole incident will be a distant memory.

However, after a few snail-paced moments of staring out of the window, he found he wasn't calming down. If anything, he was getting stiffer. Damn you, Maya Fey and your sexy ways! He needed an excuse to get out of the cab fast and get some fresh air to ease his mind. Looking out of the window once more, he recognized that the cab was only a block or two away from the office. This was his chance.

"You can let us off here, mam. We can walk the rest of the way," Phoenix suddenly blurted.

"Huh?" Maya stammered, shocked at the request from Phoenix.

"Ya sure?" asked the driver. "I can take you down all the way to your stop. Not too far now."

"I'm positive." Phoenix was getting impatient.

"Alrighty."

The driver pulled over to the side of the street and stopped, allowing Maya and him to exit the cab in a rushed manner. As Maya walked over to the front window to pay the lady for her services, he began to pace the sidewalk back and forth, taking in the chill air around, seeking for a calming remedy. He began to feel better when Maya finished up her payment, and as the cab driver went off, Maya walked up to him counting the money in her hand.

"The cab ride wasn't that expensive, surprisingly. Just a little over $10."

"Well, at least you still have some left to spend on yourself." He was happy that the ride didn't cost her of her entire find.

"Yeah I know!" She was getting enthusiastic again. "Say Nick, can I ask you something?"

A gulp went down his throat. Oh great, this is heading where I think it's heading, isn't it?

"Would you mind if I walked to the drugstore real quick?"

"…huh?" She sure caught him off guard.

"The store is a quick walk from here and not too far from the office either. I want to check out something real quick before we have our dinner."

Maya wait for dinner? Now he knew something was up. But wait, this could be a blessing in disguise. As much as he wanted to press her for more info as to why she wanted to go to the drugstore all of a sudden, he decided against it for his benefit. While he felt much calmer, he was still a bit excited, and her little detour from the office would give him some time to himself, time he could use to revert back to his docile state. He looked up to the sky and despite the time, the sky was still bright. As long as she didn't window shop at every store or get distracted, she wouldn't be out by herself in the night. This fact eased his mind completely to the idea.

"Sure, go on ahead. I'll be sure to keep your food warm for you until you get back. Also," he pulled out his wallet and grabbed what was left of his money, "A few extra bills won't hurt. Take them."

"Thanks Nick!" And with that, she quickly grabbed the money and hurried off in the opposite direction, almost tripping on a crack with one of her sandals but quickly catching herself before she fell, and went on to the drugstore.

"I'm sure her reason for wanting to go all of a sudden will come to light sooner or later," he spoke aloud to himself as he made his was to his office. "For all I know, maybe she's going to buy a pair of panties."


	3. Chapter 3

First off, I want to say thanks for all of the views, reviews, and follows from everyone. I never thought that this little awkward story would gather so much attention considering it's my first attempt at writing, but I'm thankful and pleased all the same. I also want to give a special shout out to PokerJoker811. If they never gave the prompt for the story in the kink meme in the first place, this fanfic wouldn't exist.

On another note, I would like to let my reading audience more aware of when I'll be updating my story. Since I'm busy with the work of my senior year of high school, plus earning the captain's position on my school's tennis team filled up some things on my schedule, I don't have as much time to work on this story as I would like to have. However, I'm going to aim to have a new chapter out every few weeks so as not to leave everyone in the dark. I hope you understand.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and all related characters belong to Capcom and all related parties. I claim no ownership of the characters.

* * *

Slowing her running pace to a jog, Maya looked up to read the sign above the entrances to several buildings until one caught her attention. "Wally Greene's" she whispered to herself. She had made great time considering the wind blowing and the sandals on her feet, though she was sure she would pay for it later with a blister or two. However, she had more important matters on her mind, and after staring at the clear glass door for a minute or two, she made her way in.

The store was nothing special. The layout was bland, but it had cheap goods and all of the essentials that people needed for daily living. Maya never thought in a million years that she would interrupt a burger dinner with Nick to go to a place like this, but today was a day for the unexpected if the cab ride was any indication. After the incident with Nick's lap, Maya began to have thoughts. Most of the thoughts made her seem like a heart strung schoolgirl; _maybe Nick did find her attractive, which meant that he possibly liked her like she liked him. Maybe they could become more than friends!_ These thoughts filled her mind again as she walked through the various aisles of the store, glancing at all of the neat trinkets and generic goods that graced her presence. But one product suddenly caught the corner of her eye and almost immediately she moved up in front of the display.

Unlike the other displays in the store, this one was hidden a bit away from view. Most people would miss the display if they were wandering aimlessly through the store, yet it wasn't so discreet that with any bit of focus, one could locate it. With a slowly stretched out arm, Maya grabbed one of the boxes and almost hesitantly pulled it off the shelf. The small box seemed normal enough to the touch. It felt like the box to numerous kids' toys that filled the other displays in the store. But the words on the box guaranteed that the product inside was a sort of toy meant for the older demographic.

More Bang for Your Buck Brand: Size Medium.

_Condoms_. Maya thought to herself. _I'm holding a box of condoms in my hands._

If a majority of her thoughts were filled with the schoolgirl variety, the other portion consisted of some deeper, mature ideas. _Could Nick and I ever hold a serious relationship? One with intimacy and even … sex? _Her cheeks flared red every time such a thought crossed her mind. Sure, she knew about the subject. The Kurain elders had a class about the subject that all of the girls going through training must attend when they turn twelve, but the class wasn't really informative as everything was taught straight out of decade old scrolls. The most informative resource she had about the subject came from her sister, Mia. Without any parents, Mia boldly took the role of mom and gave Maya the classic "birds and bees" speech. It was amazing to Maya, looking back on that speech now. Most people Mia's age would have been completely flustered trying to tell a preteen about the female body and intercourse. Heck, most adults break out into a sweat trying to do such a feat, but not Mia. Showing the first signs of the confidence that shined in her lawyer days, not once did she fluster with her words, and any question Maya asked she took with stride. _Mia must have prepared herself for that day._

But even with what Mia taught her, she still was naïve in the subject matter, something that made itself more evident to Maya as she continued to look at the box. She was still a virgin (she had no intentions to lose that to any old bimbo on the streets) and while she did have urges (especially since she found herself falling for Nick) she had never masturbated. She couldn't think of a good reason why, honestly. Mia had told her it was a perfectly natural way to satisfy those urges once puberty hit, and had even given her some links to websites that had tips. But one of the tips on the website had recommended the use of a pillow and Maya immediately had the thought that somehow, stimulating herself with a pillow could impregnate her and that in nine months she would give birth to a stuffed animal or a Cabbage Patch Kid doll. She knew it was illogical, but the fear was strong enough that it prevented her from masturbating, along with avoiding eye contact with any plush toy for several months.

_I wish you could help me with what I'm going through now, sis. _A sad smile crossed her face as she felt the cover of the box again for the umpteenth time. Maya felt like a small bud, weak and insecure with no rain to nourish it. Maybe Nick could change that. Like any bud in its early stages, its roots need rain to grow. If Nick was that rain, then maybe Maya could grow strong past the insecurities of a bud and firmly plant her roots to ensure that the rain would supply her and make her open into an elegant flower. No, she was confident that Nick was the rain, the one she wanted. She just needed to build up the courage to tell him, a way to show him how she felt.

Of course! I could buy him a little gift from here! Despite holding the condom box for a good length of time, she decided early on that she wasn't going to buy a box. First off, what size was Nick? She didn't know condoms came in different sizes. She always figured that they could inflate or stretch, kind of like a one size fits all balloon. Second, she didn't expect little balloons of rubber to be around $15. Even if she did buy one of the cheaper brands, she'd still be shelling out around $10, leaving her with little cash left. It wasn't the fact of spending the money that bothered her, but more of the issue of what she would tell Nick when she'd return back to the office. No matter what, she couldn't think of a good excuse for buying condoms that wouldn't give Nick the impression that Maya was horny for him (well, she was, but she didn't want to appear too forward either). She could lie about buying them, but she hated the idea of lying to him about her purchase, especially since it was her idea to interrupt their night with this detour. No, a gift would be the perfect purchase to ease Maya's mind about love and lust. _But what to get?_

Placing the box back on the shelf, Maya began to browse the store for the perfect gift. Wally's had many toys and trinkets that she found amusing, including some packs of the Steel Samurai trading card game that was becoming harder to find nowadays, but she failed to find something that could appeal to someone like Nick. She was ready to call it quits while she sulked down the household goods aisle when she suddenly stubbed her toe on the bottom row of the shelf. "Ouch!" she shrieked loud enough that the cashier turned around and took notice of Maya, though only for a brief second. _Stupid sandals, I'm throwing you to Missile next time we see Gumshoe_, Maya cursed to herself as she bent down to see the bruise on her toe. Despite the pain, the toe appeared to be ok, but bending down caused her to notice something else. A small black picture frame with a white outline was placed on the bottom shelf next to her. It was simple in appearance, but it had a distinguished elegance that made it look charming. Of course! A picture frame would be a great gift for Nick! Since Maya had come to the conclusion that she would admit her feelings to him, she thought it would be a great idea to capture an early moment of their relationship if everything went smoothly. Even if the plan didn't go accordingly, the frame still matched the office quite nicely and Nick would be free to place any photo he'd want in it. Plus the frame was only $7.99, a great price for what Maya had on her. Eager to rush back to the office as soon as possible, Maya grabbed the frame and swiftly made her way to the cashier stand.

Despite how fast Maya made her way up to the register, the cashier seemed less than interested in completing the purchase. She seemed lost in one of the tabloid magazines that were being sold at the register, completely ignorant to Maya's existence.

"Hey lady," Maya attempted to snap her back to reality, "I'm waiting to make a purchase!"

"Yeah, yeah, wait just a second." The cashier flipped through another page of the tabloid, entranced by the romance of this week's Hollywood couple. "Can't believe that low life Sasha Storm found another guy while I'm still stuck by myself in this crap hole."

_If you paid attention to people more you might be able to find a date. Just saying. _Maya couldn't help but be snarky, considering how irritated she began to feel. "Hey! Do you want to make money or not?!"

"Ugh, fine." Reluctantly, the cashier closed up the magazine and took Maya's frame to be scanned. As she prepared the scanner and register, Maya couldn't help but notice the lady's purse was wide open, contents free for all to see. Unable to help herself, Maya began to browse through the bag with her eyes. For the most part, the purse didn't hold anything unique; a pair of car keys, a keychain from the Gatewater Hotel, Bang for Your Buck wet naps, a wallet, yada yada. Wait? Bang for Your Buck wet naps? Another look at the individual packets showed that they weren't wet naps, but instead individual packs of condoms, each with a different size on them. _These damn things can't seem to leave me alone today, huh?_ Maya couldn't help but think. _Not sure why she even has them if she's as luckless in love as she claims to be. _And with that comment to herself, Maya got a quick idea. _If she really isn't going to be using them, then maybe there is a way she could give one or two to me_…_ I_ _could just go all ninja on her and take some while she's turned away, but I promised Nick I wouldn't attempt to steal anything anymore. According to him, I'm a klepto, but I honestly don't see it. Anyway, there has to be a way to get this girl to hand them over._ Maya didn't have to think hard about what to use to win this girl over, cause once she saw the cover of today's newspaper by the tabloids, she knew exactly what angle to approach this by.

* * *

Back at the office, Phoenix had just finished cleaning off the table of all work papers and had arranged two place settings. He didn't have a table cloth, but he was able to find two placemats that weren't exceptionally dusty and along with the plates, glasses, and silverware, the arrangement managed to look more than decent.

"Pretty snazzy, if I do say so myself," Phoenix spoke, grinning as he was quite pleased with his arrangement. "Now I just have to wait for the girl of the hour to come back from her shopping trip."

Feeling a bit lightheaded (probably a side effect from the cold), Phoenix decided to rest a bit before Maya's return. Finally taking off the shoes that he had forgotten about while getting everything ready, he plopped down onto the couch and stared intently at the ceiling. As tired as he was and as much as he tried to preoccupy himself with other activities, he couldn't get her off of his mind. _This isn't the first time she's dominated my thoughts, though it is the first time she's ever been so vivid through them. _He couldn't help but chuckle. He was successful in calming himself down within the first few minutes of Maya's absence, but he still couldn't come to any logical reason for her to be panty-less. He was sure a reason existed and he was hell bent on finding out why, but for now, he was content with the bit of mystery the whole fiasco added to her.

"You sure are different, Maya Fey. But I guess that's why I love you." And with that statement, Phoenix closed his eyes to imagine the mysterious Maya Fey some more, eventually leading him into a slumber with only a slight smile to indicate how content he felt.

* * *

"You can do what for me?"

"A date. I can hook you up with a date."

The cashier was quite stunned with Maya's proposal. Admittedly, this probably wasn't something most customers offer to cashiers, but sometimes the unexpected can be good. Maya was confident that she could win this girl over to her idea, but she had to choose her words carefully.

"I heard you talking about how you were looking for a decent guy to date in this 'crap hole'," Maya motioned with her fingers. "Well, what if I did you one better and got you a gentleman."

The cashier gave Maya a puzzling, if not suspicious look, "You're bluffing."

Expecting that response, Maya grabbed the closest copy of the local newspaper and handed the front page to the cashier. "Read me today's headline, if you would."

The cashier didn't seem too pleased with having a newspaper shoved in front of her, but she still did what Maya commanded of her. "'Given An Inch, He Took Case Miles: Edgeworth Stuns Crowd With Victory'. Yeah, so?"

"See the guy in the picture under the caption?" Maya promptly pointed to the photo of Edgeworth in the paper. The grey haired prosecutor wore a sly smile on his face as he was promptly pointing towards the defenses direction, the movement of the action extenuated by the movement of his cravat. "I can get you a date with him, Miles Edgeworth."

"No frikkin way." The cashier didn't make that statement so much that she didn't believe Maya could acquire such a guy, but more so the fact that she didn't believe the spirit medium wouldn't want to date him, instead letting him go to a cashier such as herself.

"Way." With a smile, Maya grabbed a spare pen and some paper off of the register and began to write down Edgeworth's personal cell number. "This can be yours if you promise to do me one thing."

"Sure, name it." The cashier seemed to have found a new wind of excitement.

"Thanks to the purchase of this frame, I'm quite short on cash. Too short to buy a box of 'rubbers' for what plans I have tonight." She couldn't help but emphasize rubbers, she wasn't used to talking about stuff like that. In fact, she was sure she was somewhat blushing. "I couldn't help but notice you have a few spare ones in your purse. If you give me a few of your condoms, I'll hand you over the number and the date with Prosecutor Edgeworth."

"Deal!" Maya was surprised how quickly the girl agreed to the proposal. "Take them!" she practically threw the condoms at Maya while snatching the number up at the same time. "I have a bunch more at home I can grab and use for later."

_Poor girl, she's gonna be crushed when she realizes that Edgeworth probably wouldn't even get past first base on a date. _Maya felt a bit bad that the date this girl had in mind was probably not going to turn out the way she was imagining at all, but that wasn't all. _What's Mr. Edgeworth going to do to Nick and me when he finds out I've been playing matchmaker on his behalf? _It probably wouldn't be pretty, and for some reason, she could imagine it ending in embarrassment for Nick more than for her. But that was a problem to worry about at a different time. Right now, as she grabbed her frame and placed the packets in her pocket, she concluded that her trip to the drugstore had been a success. She wasn't even positive why she had the desire to get the condoms, but acquiring them felt like a victory for her. If a relationship between Nick and her did start, she now felt she would be ready for whatever steps it took.

"Alright, thanks for your service," Maya politely told the cashier as she was making her way for the door, "and I hope your date turns out great."

"Wait!" The cashier's sudden cry startled Maya for a second, cause her to turn around.

"What?! Did I forgot something?"

"Two building's down is a little flower boutique that sells individual flowers. I know you're short on cash, but you should have enough for two flowers."

"Uh, thanks? But why do I need flowers?" Maya couldn't help but ask.

"Come on, you know." The cashier smirked and gave Maya a wink as she pointed towards her pockets." It'll help get things in the mood for you and your special man tonight."

"Oh, right. Thanks for the tip" Maya blushed red and hurried out of the store to prevent being seen by the cashier for much longer. While the condoms did give Maya a sense of security, she forgot that they gave other people the signal she wanted to get her freak on.


End file.
